1

10/22/14

Orientation for Undergraduate (UG) and Graduate (G)

Teacher Education (TE) Candidates

Secondary Education (SEC)

Fall 2014

Dear Secondary Teacher Education Candidates,

This document includes information for undergraduate and graduate students (both MA and Graduate Teacher Certification Programs [GTCP]). If you have any questions, please contact

Dr. John Convey

Coordinator of Secondary Math Education Program

202-319- 5810

Dr. Agnes Cave

Director of Teacher Education

202-319-4633

Ms. Jennifer Kusnierczyk

Administrative Assistant to the Director of Teacher Education

202-319-5801

218 O’Boyle Hall

In this document you will find information on

  1. PRAXIS Content Test prior to Student Teaching
  2. LiveText
  3. Field Experiences: Practica and Student Teaching
  4. Policies in Teacher Education
  5. Additional Information
  1. PRAXIS Content Test prior to Student Teaching

The PRAXIS IIcontent test needs to be taken at least two months before the student teaching semester begins (no later than November for spring student teaching), and the PRAXIS II pedagogy test should be taken two months prior to applying for a license(in March of your student teaching semester if you want to apply for a license right after graduation).

*Please note that if you are asked for a license at an interview before you obtain your DC license, the Director of Teacher Education can write a college completion verification letter on letterhead stating that you are eligible for a license upon completion of all your program and licensure requirements.

  • DC Test Requirements: Secondary Education)
  • Licenses can be obtained in additional subject areas as long as the required PRAXIS II content and pedagogy tests are passed! For each additional license you need to add another $50 to the application packet.

Continue using or create an account at and sign up for your PRAXIS II tests there.

If you need special accommodations for the PRAXIS tests, you need to request those accommodations four (4) weeks prior to registering for the tests.

When your scores are delivered to you (either hard or electronic copies), please save your scores on your computer immediately. (I would recommend scanning in the hard copy so that it can be E-mailed. The digital copy needs to be saved from your ETS account also as it is available on the internet only for 45 days.)

  1. LiveText

All TE candidates need to have purchased LiveText (the cheaper version suffices) and need to submit key assignments (identified by faculty) in LiveText.Make sure you save your assignments on a flashdrive also.

Presentation in LiveText: Submission of assignments for assessment

*When registering for their new LiveText account, all candidates must enter their Student ID (when prompted to enter their school ID) into LiveText to be properly matched up as an enrollee in each course. (If the username and student ID are not entered into the system, candidates will not be added to their courses and will not have access to course materials and assignments!) Please remember to send Ms. Kusnierczyk your LiveText username so that she can add you to our database.

  1. Field Experiences: Practica & Student Teaching

Field Placements: Candidates are required to complete field experiences in varied settings. Candidates are placed in various schools that are public, private, parochial, or charter and various grade levels in their program of studies. Placements are designed to provide candidates with the greatest variety of experiences and are arranged based on the decisions of faculty.

Practicum Experiences

  • Practicum placements take place in middle schools and high schools (Grades 7-12). These placements include diverse learning environments.

Student Teaching

  • The Student Teaching Application is available in LiveText. Contact Ms. Kusnierczyk to add your name to the database, and she will send you the URL for the student teaching application.
  • Deadline: 1stweek of semester prior to student teaching (e.g., first week of Septemberfor student teaching in the spring).You MUST take the PRAXIS II content (not pedagogy) test before student teaching. The results are due to Dr. Cave’s office before you start the student teaching semester. Plan ahead!
  • Before student teaching:
  • TB test
  • Background check
  • PRAXIS II content test
  • ST-ing numbers for secondary education candidates:

Undergraduate
EDUC 461, 462, 463
EDUC 498 (Education Comprehensive Examination)
ENG 498 or MATH 498 or HIST 498 (Undergraduate Comprehensive Examination) – depending on your secondary teacher education major / Graduate
EDUC 561, 562, 563 (for candidates who are not teachers of record)
EDUC 600 (for candidates currently employed)
Graduate comps (Ms. Mammo will send out a message regarding the number.)
  • Contact your program coordinator before being absent from practicum.All missed hours must be made up.
  • Contact Dr. Cave () before being absent from student teaching. All missed hours must be made up.
  • Document your hours in the field (sign attendance sheet).

Disability Support Services – Policy for Candidates Registering for Field Experiences

If you have a disability, we encourage you to inform Dr. Agnes Cave (),Director of Teacher Education or Ms. Elsie Neely (), Director of Field Experiences of your disability so that we can best help you in terms of accommodations for your field experience. We further encourage you to coordinate with the office of Disability Support Services to ensure you obtain support for completing the program. If you choose not to reveal this information, understand that there are consequences for that decision. Accommodations are not retroactive. Please visit the DSS website at for additional information.

  1. Policies
  1. Undergraduates: We can discuss your educational progress with your parents only if you give us permission to do so. If you want to give permission, please do the following:
  2. Obtain the Education Record Release Form at and
  3. Submit the completed form to the Registrar’s office.
  1. Key assessments: All required course assignments must be submitted in LiveText in order to continue in the teacher education program.
  2. Admission & Retention policy: Maintain the appropriate GPA to continue in the program.
  3. Repeat course policy
  4. Undergraduates: (in case D or F)
  5. Graduate Students: C
  6. Only oneprovisional semester (before admission) and oneprobationarysemester (once admitted to program) can be given to a candidate.
  7. Appeal process for (1) decisions in the Unit Assessment System (if e.g., someone is denied admission to TE) and (2) disposition concerns.
  8. Background check for field experiences and license application
  9. CUA's policy regarding Absenteeism:
  10. CUA's Policy on Student Academic Dishonesty can be located at the following URL: is all candidates' responsibility to become familiar with this policy.
  11. See and CUA Advising Handbook ( other policies.
  12. Graduate Student Handbook:
  13. All TE documents (CF, UAS, handbooks):
  14. Junior audit for undergraduate juniors
  15. Please check CUA E-mail account regularly (or forward your CUA mail to your preferred non-CUA E-mail address).
  16. Information about student teaching and licensure is provided at the student teaching orientation.
  17. Information for graduate students regarding the comprehensive exam (Action Research Paper), research papers, and other pertinent information will come from the Chair's officeand the academic advisors.
  18. Master’s candidates only: Comprehensive (Action Research Paper)Research papers
  • Comps: Action Research Paper in student teaching semester
  • Research Papers(submitted a semester prior to taking comps)
  • EDUC 699
  • EDUC 702

5.Additional Information

  • CUA’s professional education unit has been accredited by NCATE since 1975, and all programs are state and SPA approved.
  • All important documents (Conceptual Framework [documents, videos], Unit Assessment System) are uploaded at the following website:
  • Study Abroad
  • If you’re interested in studying abroad, meet with your advisor/program coordinator and then see Dr. Cave for more information.
  • SEC candidates need to see their teacher education program coordinator and the content advisor for advisement.
  • Communication with your instructor and advisor
  • Impact of personal photos/videos on internet
  • CUA resources for academic and emotional support

I verify that I have attended the orientation meeting and received all TE materials. I understand that if I have any questions, I can contact my advisor, Ms. Jennifer Kusnierczyk () andDr. Agnes Cave () in the Teacher Education Office located in O’Boyle.

______

Signature of Teacher Education CandidateDate